Red Like Roses
by hiddenheart519
Summary: "She was, like, supermom. Baker of cookies and slayer of giant monsters. But one day, she went out on a mission and... she never came back."


"Are the cookies done yet, Mama?"

There was laughter in the woman's voice as she replied, "Not yet, gem."

"When will they be done?" The young girl with short black hair leaned precariously over, hands on her knees, practically turning upside down as she peered into the oven through the glass.

"Soon," her mother promised.

"But soon is so _long_!" the six-year-old groaned.

The woman chuckled. She was tall and thin, wearing a long white cloak pinned below her neck. Her hair was short and dark and her eyes were bright silver.

The little girl was only six years old, dressed in a fuzzy red sweater with sleeves that were a bit too long and kept sliding over her hands and thick black tights. She had black hair that barely reached her shoulders and bright silver eyes that matched the woman's.

"Be patient, Ruby," an older girl said from her seat on the table. She was eight-years-old, with curly blonde hair in pigtails, lilac eyes, wearing a dark purple sweater and jeans. She had papers and crayons strewn across the table, coloring intently while her younger sister stared longingly into the oven.

The young girl stuck her tongue out at the blonde, who simply rolled her eyes.

"Now, Ruby, be nice," the woman laughed.

The dark haired child, Ruby Rose, smiled brightly at her mother.

Their father and the woman's husband waltzed into the kitchen just a the woman leaned down to open the oven, a pair of thich green oven mits on her hands. The woman, Summer Rose, lay the platter of chocolate chip cookies on the counter.

The man, Taiyang Xiao Long, seemed like a giant compared to his wife. He was broad shouldered and a whole head taller than she was. He was grinning warmly at his daughters, who happily returned the smiles. He had shaggy blonde hair and lilac eyes, like his oldest daughter, Yang Xiao Long. He winked at the girls as Summer turned to lay the oven mitts on the other side of the counter and retrieve a spatula from a drawer.

As soon as she did so, Taiyang deftly swooped down and twisted a cookie from the tray, scooping it up to his mouth and taking a bite.

Ruby giggled as Taiyang held a finger to his lips. "Shh..." he breathed, grinning wickedly.

"Shh!" Ruby laughed.

Summer turned at the indiscreet action. Her silver eyes widened. "Tai!" she cried, catching sight of him as he tried to pass Ruby a piece of his cookie.

Summer reached out to grab the warm, gooey cookie, but Ruby was quicker. She snatched the cookie frok her father's hand, and her mother's fingers clasped empty air as the girl happily shoved the cookie into her mouth.

Summer sighed, straightening.

"Mm!" Ruby smiled at Summer. "It's yummy, Mama!"

Summer's face brightened, a soft smile forming on her lips as Taiyang leaned against his wife, his arms wrapping around her waist.

Summer scooped up her daughter. "Why, _thank you_ , gem," Summer said brightly. "Do you want another?"

Ruby's head bobbed enthusiastically.

"Then you have to wait for them to cool down," Summer said firmly as she set Ruby down.

"Aww..."

"Why don't you and Yang go play?" Taiyang suggested. "I'll make sure your mom calls you when they're cool enough to eat." Taiyang's hand was slowly creeping toward the counter, reaching for another cookie. Without looking, Summer's hand flashed out and slapped his like a ninja's. Taiyang jerked his hand away from the strike, pouting.

Ruby grinned. "Come on, Yangie!" she cried, bouncing across the kitchen and toward the table like a puppy, pulling on her sister's arm.

Yang calmly picked up her crayons and her papers, gathering them into her arms and walking to the hall while Ruby bounced beside her. Yang carried her drawings to her room while Ruby dashed around her. "Hurry _up_ Yangie!"

Yang laughed. "Okay, Rubes, okay. Calm down," the-eight-year old told her, smirking.

They walked around the corner and into the hallway, gazing at the empty kitchen. Their parents were nowhere to be found.

Yang's smirk spread into a grin.

"I have an idea," she whispered.

"What is it?" Ruby asked, giggling.

"You have to be _quiet_ ," Yang said in a hushed voice as they sneaked around the hallway. Ruby peered around her older sister, trying to contain her laughter.

Those delectable cookies were out in the open. Yang could see the tray from there she stood.

"Come on," Yang breathed.

"What are we doing?" Ruby asked in a not-so-quiet whisper.

"We're gonna steal a cookie."

"But... isn't stealing something the _Grimm_ will get you for?" Ruby breathed, her eyes widening in fear.

Yang shrugged. "Nah," she said optimistically. "And if they do, mom and dad'll fight 'em off. Besides, it's only bad if you get caught."

"Okay," Ruby said, grinning. She couldn't argue with Yang's logic.

Yang snuck into the kitchen, Ruby tiptoeing close behind, snickering. Yang pulled a chair away from the table as quietly as she could, moving it so it stood beside the oven. "Hold the chair," Yang told Ruby, who did as she was told.

Yang climbed shakily up the chair and peered over the edge of the counter to see...

 _Nothing_?

"Looking for _these_?"

The two girls exchanged wild, shocked looks before whirling around, their eyes wide.

Summer Rose stood by the open sliding glass door that led to the back yard, leaning against it and smirking. In one hand, held out slightly toward her daughters, was a plastic bag.

A bag filled with cookies.

Ruby giggled.

Summer scooped Yang up in her arms. "Does my big bad thief want a cookie?" she asked.

Yang turned up her nose. "No I do not," she replied firmly. "And put me _down_."

Summer's eyes widened. When she spoke again, laughter echoed in her voice. "Oh? Are you too _old_ to be picked up, sunshine?"

Yang thought about it for a moment. "Yes."

"Oh, okay," Summer replied in mock solemnity. "If you're to old to be picked up, you _must_ be too old for cookies."

Yang hesitated. "...yes."

"Okay." Summer set Yang down on the couch. "Are _you_ too old to be picked up, gem?"

Ruby contemplated that. "If I'm not... does that mean I can have a cookie?"

Summer chuckled. " _Maybe_."

That was good enough for Ruby. She lifted her arms up, claiming, "Of course I'm not to old!"

Summer lifted her into the air, kissing her nose. She reached into the bag of cookies, handing one to Ruby, who happily bit half of it off.

Yang looked longingly at the cookies as Summer set Ruby down, glancing at the blonde girl out the corner of her silver eyes. Summer reached for the bag of cookies and set them down on the table. "Are you _sure_ you don't want a cookie, sunshine?" she asked Yang.

"I'm sure, Mama," Yang replied dejectedly. She coudn't give in now. But they DID look good...

"Okay. Whatever you say."

"Mama?" Ruby asked.

Summer looked at her. "Yes, gem?"

"Can we play Huntress and Grimm?"

Summer laughed. "Of course, gem."

"Outside!" Ruby cheered.

Summer smiled. She took the bouncing girl's hand. Ruby, laughing happily, led her mother to the sliding glass door that led to the backyard.

Summer paused. She whispered something to Ruby, who covered her mouth to conceal her giddy laughter.

Yang had gotten up to head to her room when suddenly Summer scooped her up and carried the squirming, protesting eight-year-old to the living room, plopping her on the couch and holding her down.

And Summer tickled her.

"Mama!" Yang wailed, her voice shaking with laughter. "S-stop! That t-tickles! _Mama_!"

"Are you too old to be picked up?" Summer asked, pausing.

"Yes!" Yang laughed, refusing to be swayed.

Summer shrugged and resumed tickling her daughter's sides. "Are you _sure,_ sunshine?"

"Y-yes!" Yang was laughing so hard her stomach was hurting, but she wouldn't admit she was young enough to be picked up by her mother, not when she had been so adament in her refusal.

Summer's skilled fingers never ceased their tickling. The attack was relentless, and the third time she asked Yang, the young girl caved.

"No! I'm not to old!" Yang giggled.

Summer smiled in teasing satisfaction and kissed Yang's nose. "That's my baby girl."

Yang smiled, breathing heavily, and hugged Summer. "I love you, mama."

Summer held her daughter close. "I love you too, sunshine," she breathed. Then she grinned when she heard Yang ask quietly...

"Can I have a cookie now?"

Summer, Ruby, and Yang walked in, faces red from the cold, snowy air, all three of them laughing. Taiyang walked up to Summer as she ushered the girls to the living room to get warm by the fire. Taiyang planted a soft kiss on Summer's lips, smiling. "I'll be back soon," he promised.

"Where are you going, Daddy?" Yang called.

Taiyang laughed. "A few students showed up for tutoring and your Uncle Qrow's been drinking. He needs me to cover for him."

Summer rolled her eyes. "He's always drinking."

Taiyang dropped his voice. "You can't blame him for it," he murmered, his expression dark. "She was closer to him than any of us."

"I know," Summer breathed, her silver gaze dropping to the floor.

Taiyang's Scroll buzzed, and the broad man slipped it out of his pocket. "It's Qrow," he informed his wife, who smiled as he answered.

"Yeah, I know," Taiyang said into the Scroll. " _Yes_ , Qrow, I'm on my way? What? ...what?" He huffed. "I can't understand you!" There was a pause. "Just shut up, we'll talk when I get there."

Summer laughed as Taiyang kissed the top of her head. "I'll be back, girls!" he called.

"Bye Daddy!" Yang called.

"Love you!" Ruby added.

Taiyang chuckled fondly. "I love you too, girls. I'll be back before dinner."

Taiyang walked to the door, grabbed his scimitar from where it hung by the front door, smiled one last time at his family, and decended into the snow.

Summer sighed. "He's going to freeze without a jacket," she muttered.

"But his sem-balance will keep warm!" Yang said.

"His _semblance_ , sunshine," Summer laughed. "And he still shouldn't rely so much on it."

"Why not?" Ruby asked as Summer joined them on the couch.

"Because your aura powers your semblance, and once your aura runs out, you're helpless," Summer explained.

"Huntresses aren't!" Ruby announced. "That's what what I wanna be when I grow up." Ruby's hopeful silver eyes met her mother's. "Just like you, Mama."

Summer smiled. "Just like me."

"I'm going to be a Huntress, too," Yang decided.

"Oh?" Summer laughed. "You both will scare the Grimm out of their skins."

"Yeah!" Ruby cheered.

"Can we play Huntress and Grimm?" Yang asked.

Summer laughed lightly. "Not right now, sunshine."

"Aw..."

Summer's voice became deep and gravely. " **Mama Ursa's getting** _ **hungry**_ **...** "

Ruby abd Yang's faces lit up in excitement.

" **And you know what Mama Ursa likes best to** _ **eat**_ **, don't you**?" Summer growled, grinning broadly.

The two girls giggled, knowing exactly what was coming. The began to back away slowly.

" _ **Little girls**_!" Summer roared, her arms reaching out for her daughterd with her fingers curving like claws. Ruby and Yang shrieked with laughter as the ran down the hall, trying to escape the hungry Grimm.

Summer felt her Scroll buzz, and she almost ignored it, but it vibrated again and she stopped.

"Mama?" Ruby asked, stopping. Yang paused, both of them looking back curiously at their mother.

"One moment girls, I'm on the phone," Summer breathed, pulling her Scroll up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Summer!" a males voice breathed in relief. "Thank Oum I've gotten ahold of you."

"Fallow? What's wrong?" Summer asked worriedly.

"Kitsunes."

Summer's silver eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

"Completely," Fallow replied. Summer's gaze darted to her daughters, who were both looking at her with expressions of apprehension and fear.

"We need you, Summer," Fallow breathed.

"But, Fallow, Taiyang's not home!" she prostested. "Ruby and Yang-"

"Yes, Summer. I know you have the girls, and I wouldn't call you unless we were desperate," the man replied. "My son saw four of them. They had taken down a grizzly and were fighting over the remains."

"Four..." Summer Rose repeated. She ran her free hand through her dark hair. "You think a few died in the fight?"

"It's possible," the man said unsurely, "but I doubt it. Maybe one of them, but no more."

Summer swore quietly.

"Mama?" Ruby asked tentatively.

"One moment, gem," Summer told the girl softly.

"I'm sorry, Summer, but we need you here as soon as possible," the man on the Scroll said.

"I know, Fallow," Summer sighed. "But the _girls_ -"

"Please Summer," Fallow begged. "I would call Taiyang, but he's in school, and there aren't any Hunters in the area besides Qrow, he didn't answer."

"He's at the Academy," Summer said quietly. "Tai's with him."

Summer could hear the desperation in Fallow's soft reply. "Please, Summer. We need you."

Summer gulped, her worry etched on her face. Out the corner of her eye, she saw Yang wrap her arm around Ruby's shoulders, pulling her younger sister closer. "I-I'll have to call Mist a-and have her watch the girls! I can't just-"

"Summer, _please_! There's no time. We're desperate," Fallow begged, his voice shaking. "If the Kitsuned get close to the village, we're doomed. It's now or never. We can fight, but without you, the battle's lost."

Summer cursed. "I'll call."

"Wait-!" Fallow started as Summer hung up her Scroll.

"Mom?" Yang asked.

Summer forced a smile. "Give me one minute, sunshine."

"Okay," she replied worriedly.

Summer walked briskly down the hall of her home and to her bedroom. She quickly changed into tight but flexible red battle armor with a white design. She clipped her white cape to her collar, letting the bottom trail lightly on the floor.

Summer clasped Briar and Thorn, her white and red dagger-revolvers, to each hip, taking a deep breath.

She returned to the living room, where Yang and Ruby were whispering quietly to each other, their nervous eyes following Summer's every step as she came to stand before them. She kissed the top of each of their heads. "I'll be right back," she promised.

"Where are you going?" Ruby asked, her lip beginning to quivver.

"She's going to go fight the Grimm," Yang breathed.

"That's right," Summer replied, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She had never left the girls alone while she was on a mission before.

"I'll be back soon, gem, don't worry," Summer murmered comfortingly.

Yang suddenly hugged her tightly. "I love you, Mama," she breathed.

Ruby hugged Summer a heartbeat later. "I love you..."

"I love you both very much," Summer told them.

Summer hesitated before her daughters for a moment, before forcefully turning away and walking to the front door. As she walked, her worry completely kicked in and she called over her shoulder, one hand on the doorknob as her daughters walked to stand with her in the doorway, "Don't cook anything! If you get hungry, there's peanut butter and bread in the cupboard, jelly in the fridge. There's crackers in the cupboard, too. No soda, and you can have one cookie- _and only one_ -after you eat your sandwiches. Yang, you're in charge."

Yang nodded once as Summer decended the snowy porch steps. Suddenly Ruby called out, "Mama!" before wrenching herself free of Yang's grip.

"Ruby!" Yang called after her as she stumbled down the porch and into the snow.

Ruby walked three short strides in the waiste-haigh snow before falling face first into it. She cried out, but Summer's protective hands were there to catch her. Summer held her to her chest. "I've got you, gem..."

"Mama, I'm scared," Ruby told her quietly, burying her face in Summer's shoulder.

"Why, gem?" Summer asked, looking at her sadly.

"What if you don't come back?" Tears started to form in Ruby's eyes as she voiced the same fears Yang was keeping inside her mind.

"I will, gem, don't worry," Summer said, kissing Ruby's forehead.

"Promise?" Ruby asked.

"I promise," her mother replied softly

"Say it!" Ruby demanded.

"I swear, Ruby that I will stay with you." Summer's silver eyes met Yang's lilac ones where the blonde girl still stood on the porch. "Both of you," she vowed.

Yang swallowed tears as Summer carried Ruby to the porch and hugged them both one last time before she turned and walked away into the snowy woods of Patch, leaving her daughters to return inside alone.

Taiyang howled with laughter, cradling his arm. "Good shot, Pheonix!" he laughed. He rolled his arm around, streaching the sore muscle. Keep your arms closer to your body," he advised. "Now lets try this again."

"Oi! Pheonix!" Qrow called. "Aim for his left!"

The young boy grinned. "Right."

"Aw, Branwen!" Taiyang whined. "He had forgotten about my eyesight!" the man wailed as Pheonix began to strike, Taiyang barely parrying it.

Neither of the three occupants of Patch Academy's gym heard Taiyang's Scroll buzz with a message from his wife.

Not for hours.

Yang looked out the window. They were never this late. Taiyang had said he'd be back before dinner. Summer never too this long either. Where were they?

It had been snowing heavily for the past two hours and night had fallen. Yang had put her sister to bed nearly an hour ago, but shewanted to stay awake and wait for their parents.

Yang was sitting on the couch before the fire, staring out the sliding glass door, her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin on her knees.

"Yangie?" a voice asked quietly.

Yang started, head snapping to face the source of the voice. Then she relaxed. "Ruby? You should be asleep."

"I can't..." the six-year-old wimpered. Unlike Yang, who was in the same clothes she had been in when Summer left, Ruby was wearing bright red onsie pajamas with tan reindeer heads on her feet with round red noses. On the right side of her chest was a stitched reindeer with the same red nose, the reindeer from the annual Christmas cartoon Ruby loved. In her hands was a stuffed black bear.

"Could you read me a story?" Ruby asked quietly.

Yang got up immediately. "Of course, Rubes."

"The next chapter in _The Adventures Of Sir Valentine_?" Ruby asked hopefully.

Yang laughed. "Sure. I'll meet you in you're room."

Ruby smiled at her sister before walking back down the hall amd crawling into her bed, listening to the unusal silence in the house, broken only by Yang's light footsteps as she came to comfort Ruby the only way she knew how.

"Professor Xiao Long!" Pheonix called as the two Professors began to walk out the door. "You forgot your Scroll!" he called, holding it up for Taiyang to see. The boy quickly brought it to his teacher, laying it in the man's wide palm.

Taiyang unlocked the Scroll, eyebrows furrowing. Then his purple eyes widened. "No..."

"Professor?" Pheonix asked hesitantly.

"Go home, Mister Fotia," Qrow said.

"Yes sir," Pheonix replied, pushing pat the two men and out the door.

Qrow looked at his partner. "What's wrong, Xiao Long?" he asked.

Taiyang's horrified gaze met Qrow's. "It's Summer."

Yang closed the book. Ruby had drifted off to sleep, but Yang was still wide awake. She set the book on the bookshelf, crawling under her sister's pink blankets and cradling her. Yang was humming softly, her eyes staring worriedly out the window across the room. _Where are they?_

"What do you mean?" Qrow yelled, running after Taiyang.

Both men were sprinting through the snow, Taiyang far ahead.

"Xiao Long! What the hell is going on?" Qrow demanded.

"Summer's on a mission!" Taiyang replied.

"So?" Qrow replied.

Taiyang halted, and Qrow stumbled in the deep snow so he didn't run into him.

Taiyang turned to face Qrow. "She sent the message hours ago. She said she'd text after the mission." Taiyang's voice was quiet and terrified.

Qrow's eyes widened.

"She hasn't said a word."

Yang didn't notice she had fallen asleep until her eyes blinked open and there was sunlight streaming in from the window. Ruby's head was buried in her pillow and she was drooling.

Yang slowly peeled herself from the warm bed, careful not to wake her sister.

She walked quietly from Ruby's room and down the hall, peeking around the door to the master bedroom.

Empty.

Her eyes widened and fear pitted in her stomach.

She dashed around the corner and into the living room.

No one.

They weren't in the kitchen, not in her room, not in the guest bedroom, the bathrooms were empty, and there was no one to be seen in the yard.

Nothing.

Yang was beginning to panic. They weren't home yet. Not even Taiyang. Where were they? There were never gone this long.

Yang hurriedly ran to the window over looking the front door, sitting precariously on the windowsill, watching the snow begin to fall and waiting for any sign of life in the cold, winter woods.

After a long time, Ruby came and crawled up to sit next to her. "They're still gone?" she wimpered quietly. Yang shook her head without looking at her. "Yangie, I'm scared," she admitted.

Yang turned to hug her tightly. "Don't be," she breathed. "No matter what happens, I'll protect you."

Ruby hugged her back tightly, thankful for the comforting warmth.

"Yangie!"

Yang blinked, her eyes sore from being open and staring so long.

"Yangie, look!" Ruby cried. "It's Daddy!"

Yang stared out the window, scouring the snowy landscape for the broad shape of their father.

"By the trees!" Ruby cried, pointing excitedly. She jumped off the window sill at the same moment Yang caught sight of her father.

Yang's eyes widened. "Daddy!" She leapt off the window sill a moment later.

Ruby had flung the door open and dashed onto the porch, Yang close behind, both of them ignoring the cold.

Their uncle Qrow Branwen was leading Taiyang by his shoulder. The huge man was clutching a white object in his arms close to his chest, his head ducked over it so his daughters couldn't see his face.

"Uncle Qrow?" Yang asked, pulling Ruby closer to her.

"Go inside girls," Qrow ordered in a low voice. When neither of them moved, he yelled, "Now!"

Yang jumped, pulling Ruby back into the doorway, her eyes trailing Taiyang.

As the two men approached, Yang's heart dropped. She could see the white object in Taiyang's arms, and the recognition made her stomach drop. The object wasn't completely white on the outside anymore.

It was Summer Rose's cloak.

"Mommy?" Ruby asked, tears brimming in her eyes. "Daddy!" she cried. She ran down the porch, but Yang was too stunned to move.

The torn, red-splotched cloak in Taiyang's arms was empty.

Summer was nowhere to be found.

Ruby stumbled into the snow, yelling with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Yang, get your sister inside, _now_."

Yang couldn't move.

"Yang Xiao Long, get your sister!" Qrow yelled.

"Where's Mama?" Yang asked.

"Inside. _Now_."

" _Where's my mom_?"

" _Gone_!"

Taiyang's voice made silence fall over the other three.

"She's _gone_..."

Taiyang fell to his knees, clutching the cloak tightly, sobs wracking his body. "She's gone..."

Qrow walked forward and picked Ruby up from the snow. She was shaking with cold and sobbing loudly. Qrow carried her to the porch, placed a hand on Yang's back, and taking them both inside.

"Give me the bottle."

"Taiyang, enough."

"Give me the damn bottle, Branwen!" Taiyang roared, reaching out for the bottle in Qrows hand. The huge man was sitting on the couch, glaring at Qrow as he stood before him, pulling the bottle away.

"Taiyang, you've never done well with alcohol," Qrow said.

"I don't care!" Taiyang roared.

"You've had enough!" Qrow replied.

"Damn it, Qrow, give it here!" Taiyang snapped, tears forming in his eyes. "I need it, Qrow," he breathed.

"You don't need alcohol to-"

"Then what am I going to do?" Taiyang demanded, rising from the couch. He stomped around Qrow to the fireplace, staring at the pictures above it. Each one had Summer in it.

Taiyang's huge hands clenched into fists as he glared at the pictures. His hand shot out grabbed the glass, slamming down. Qrow could hear the glass shattering. One by one, the pictures on the mantleplace were face down. Then Taiyang set on the ones on the walls. He yanked them down, grunting in anger as each one crashed to the floor.

"What about the girls?" Qrow snapped.

"What about them?" Taiyang growled.

"How will you take care of them if you're drunk?" Qrow roared.

Taiyang sighed. "Please, Qrow. Just take them for a bit. Please. I... I can't..."

Qrow approached his partner. "They're _your_ daughters."

"She looks just like her..." he breathed, eyes clenching shut.

Qrow hesitated. "Taiyang..."

"Please, Qrow, just... give me a month," Taiyang begged.

Qrow sighed. "Fine. One month. No more."

"Thank you..." Taiyang whispered.

Yang listened fearfully to her father, her uncle, and the sound of breaking glass. She was slowly rocking her sister back and forth in her lap, the crying girl burrying her face in Yang's shoulder. Yang, unlike Ruby, wasn't crying. She was refusing to-she didn't want Ruby any more upset than she already was.

After a long while, Uncle Qrow came walking down the hall and into Yang's bedroom, where the young girls were sitting on the purple blankets of Yang's bed. Yang's eyes raised to meet Qrow's, but Ruby didn't even acknowledge his presence.

"You both are going to be staying with me for a while," Qrow murmered.

"What about Dad?" Yang asked quietly.

"He needs some time alone. You'll be staying at my house," Qrow explained. "So... pack some things."

Yang nodded, gently laying Ruby on a pillow. As soon as Yang stood, Ruby reached out for her, wimpering. Yang looked helplessly at Qrow. He had told her to pack, but Ruby needed her to stay. What should she do?

Qrow sat down on Yang's bed, pulling Ruby into his arms, murmering softly.

Yang made herself walk away from her sister as she burrowed into Qrow's embrace.

Tears began to fill her eyes as she rummaged through her closet and pulled out the old suitcase. Yang understood what was going on, even if Ruby did not. Summer wasn't just not here, she was _gone_. She was never coming back. _Ever_.

Yang's throat felt tight at the thought, and she forced herself to focus on packing clothes for herself before leaving her room and going into Ruby's to pack her sister's clothes.

On her way, she caught sight of her father sitting on the couch, taking a heaviy swig of a bottle before throwing it on the floor. The shattering glass made Yang jump, and she saw her father lay his face in his hands, where he cluched Summer's tattered and blood-stained cloak.

Yang quietly crept back to her room, where Qrow was helping Ruby put on her snow boots and a heavy white jacket. Yang lay the suitcase down before retrieving her boots and jacket from her closet and doing the same.

"Come on," Qrow said gently, taking Ruby's hand and leading her down the hallway and to the front door with Yang walking close behind, pulling the suitcase, which crunched over the shards of glass. "Be careful of the glass, girls."

Suddenly Ruby halted, watching her father. Qrow stopped, both he and Yang looking at her curiously.

"I love you, Daddy."

Taiyang didn't answer Ruby.

Ruby pulled her hand from Qrow's grip, walking towards Taiyang and hugging him tightly. "Don't worry, Daddy," Ruby said. "We'll be back soon. By then, Mama will be back, too."

Taiyang bit his lip, forcing away tears as Ruby let go and returned to her uncle, retaking his hand and smiling at him.

Qrow swallowed hard, leading the two girls to the front door.

Yang paused. A picture on the floor had caught her eyes. It was a picture of Summer, Taiyang, Ruby and herself at the annual Patch Summer Festival from earlier that year.

Ther glass on the picture frame was cracked, just like all the others in the house, and she could see the corner of another paper poking out of the bottom.

"Yang," Qrow said, his voice quiet but stern. "Lets go."

Yang quickly stowed the picture under her jacket, not caring if the glass cut her. She followed her uncle and her sister out the front door, casting one last glance at her father before Qrow closed the door behind them.

Ruby pressed her cold feet against Yang's warm back, giggling sleepily as Yang breathed in sharply.

The two girls were in one of the many spare bedrooms in the Branwen Manor. Technically, she and Ruby had separate rooms, but ever since they had come to live with their uncle, they had slept together. Yang had hidden the pictures she had smuggled from their house deep inside her suitcase.

"Yangie?" Ruby murmered, her voice thick and weary.

"Yeah?" the blonde whispered back.

"When are we going home?"

Yang breathed in deeply, her eyes closing tightly. "I don't know, Rubes," she admitted sadly.

There was another pause, filled only with the sound of both girls' deep breathing and an owl hooting outside.

"Yangie?" the brunette breathed again.

"Yeah, Rubes?" Yang's throat felt tight, and she could feel the tears threatening to spill over.

"When is Mama coming home?"


End file.
